Oxenfree catbird station door11/28/2023 The Room at the Top of the Stairs (Jud Caswell) 50:37 He is at work now on a new collection of songs, written and recorded in Maine, but with a connection to place and family so clear that they’ll ring true no matter where you call home.ĭon't Think Twice, It's All Right (Bob Dylan) 0:09 A talented multi-instrumentalist, he wields his guitar, banjo, whistle, and cittern with the easy deftness of an old woodsman with an axe. His melodies are familiar and surprising as an old sea-captain retired to shore, with a head full of far-away and a heart full of home. His music rises from the land as well - with a voice fresh as water over granite and soft as a pine needle bed. He paints his landscapes like Wyeth, with an adoration for humble beauty that approaches reverence. Jud draws inspiration from the land like Mary Oliver, pushing gently into the specific until it unfolds into the universal. Most importantly, he was able to be with his young family, nurturing a connection to home and the roots that feed his music and his soul. He built a recording studio in his home, where he produces records for other artists while continuing to write and record his own songs. I figured it was time to go home and do a thousand things.” He rolled up his sleeves and got to work, playing up to 7 shows a week locally, teaching songwriting, working with kids, striving to make his music be of service to his community. “A singer/songwriter does one thing, night after night, in a thousand places,” Caswell said. It was in Judy Collins’ apartment in Manhattan, looking over the contract that would have signed him to Collins’ record label, that Jud decided it was time to go home. His song “The Weight of the World” (cowritten with Amy Speace and grammy award winner Jon Vezner) was recorded by Judy Collins and named the “#4 Folk Song of the Decade” by New York’s premier AAA station, WFUV. In 2006, he burst onto the national scene with wins at the most prestigious songwriting contests in the country, including the Kerrville New Folk competition, where his song “Blackberry Time” was hailed by songwriting guru Pat Pattison as a “perfect song.” Sing Out! Magazine called him “one of the leading songwriters on the scene… highly original and wise beyond his years” and his record was a folk dj favorite. Jud went all the way to New Hampshire to get his degree in music at Dartmouth College, but came home to work for the family business, bringing his college sweetheart back to start a family of their own.įor a time, it looked like music might just draw Jud out of Maine. It’s your home.Ī seventh-generation Mainer, Jud grew up on the farm of his great-grandfather, a poet and humorist who wrote a column for the local paper and kept horses in the old post-and-beam barn to pay the bills. When the words are just right, and the chords are struck just so, and the river of melody pushes and pulls in all the right places, then it’s not his home at all anymore. You might just think he’s taking you to visit his home. There’s a magic to the way he draws you in until you’re transported - to the old farmhouse, the salty shore, a wood full of birdsong. Maine singer/songwriter Jud Caswell has got a keen eye for detail. October 21 "Press Play" feature at Maine Today/Portland Press Herald! This month he's been invited into the studio to share some music live and chat with Rob about his songs and upcoming performances.ħ/26/22: Summer is in full swing here in Maine, and Jud's schedule seems to be almost back to 2019 levels! Check the calendar for many dates in Maine, including concerts in Freeport, Auburn, Lisbon, Round Pond, and Camden! As always, if you're interested in hosting your own private event with Jud, feel free to reach out to " The Great Divide" was the #2 song on the Folk Alliance International Charts for October, 2021!ġ0/26/21: Jud's song "The Great Divide" is featured in the At the time, they were not able to have musicians in the studio, and his videos were a welcome musical addition to the show. : Spring is springing here in Maine and I'm looking forward to another summer of music! I'll be back at the Seagull Shop on Mondays, and keep your eyes peeled for other select shows near you!ģ/8/23: Jud's music has been featured on WCSH TV's "207" show frequently over the past couple of years, starting in the summer of 2020 when he reached out to share his "Morning Cordial" videos with the producers.
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